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Student Union Bylaws

  1. Supremacy
  2. Union Officers
  3. Finance Board
  4. Duties of Senators
  5. Senate Meeting Procedure
  6. Senate Committees
  7. Counseling and Advisory Service Organizations
  8. Union Accredited Organizations
  9. Financial Activities
  10. Union Election Procedures
  11. Senior Programs
  12. Special Union Programs
  13. Amendments

Article I: Supremacy

The By-Laws of the Brandeis University Undergraduate Student Union Government (hereinafter referred to as "By-Laws") shall be enacted and enforced in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Student Union Constitution and these By-Laws.

Article II: Union Officers

Section 1

All Student Union Executive Officers, Senators, Finance Board Members, Justices of the Union Judiciary, and Union Representatives shall be considered "Union Officers."

Section 2

All Union Officers must regularly submit detailed reports in writing upon completion of projects and duties.

  1. Executive Officers and Senators must submit project reports to the Union website prior to every meeting of the Union Senate.
  2. The Finance Board must detail their decisions through the online myBrandeis Club Center.
  3. Decisions of the Union Judiciary shall be publicized on the Union website.
  4. Union Representatives must submit reports to the Union website following the meeting of the body to which they are representatives.

Section 3

Union Officers shall periodically report before the Senate:

  1. Executive Officers shall report at least once per calendar month.
  2. Senators must report at every Senate meeting and include committee activity if they are the Senate Chair.
  3. Union Representatives must report to Senate at the Senate meeting directly following the meeting of the body to which they are representatives.
  4. The Senate may, by a majority vote, mandate that a particular Union Officer reports at a particular Senate meeting.
  5. The Union Treasurer must submit a budget report and Senate Money Resolution summary to the Senate prior to every meeting.

Section 4

All Union Officers shall hold weekly office hours.

  1. Executive Officers shall hold five office hours per week.
  2. All Senators, Union Representatives, and Members of the Finance Board shall hold three office hours per week.

Section 5

Student Representatives shall be appointed to University Committees by the Union President. These representatives shall voice student opinions and concerns to administration. These representatives shall be confirmed in the manner set for in Article IV, Section 4 of these By-Laws.

Article III: Finance Board

Section 1

The Finance Board shall act in accordance with the following guidelines:

  1. Each semester, the Finance Board shall elect a Chair whose duties shall be set forth in the Union Constitution. The Finance Board may, by a 2/3 vote, strip the Chair of his/her position for non-performance of his/her duties.
  2. The Finance Board shall not act unless a quorum is present. A quorum of the Finance Board shall consist of four members. On an emergency basis, the Finance Board may hear and vote on requests electronically with the participation of 5 or more Board Members.
  3. Each member of the Finance Board shall have one vote. Approval of any allocation requires a majority vote. Members of the Finance Board may not cast their votes by proxy.
  4. The Finance Board shall meet at least once every 10 academic days while regular classes are in session. The first meeting of the Finance Board shall be convened by the Treasurer. Thereafter all Finance Board meetings shall be scheduled by the Chair.
  5. The Finance Board may, by a majority vote, close all or part of its meetings to non-Board Members.
  6. The Finance Board may recommend Union Chartered Organizations for decharter in accordance with Article VIII, Section 13(6) of these By-Laws.
  7. All Finance Board checks must be signed by the Treasurer or the Union President.

Section 2

There shall be three types of Finance Board Meetings.

  1. On or about the end of every semester, the Finance Board shall hold a special meeting called Early Marathon for the allocation of funding for the following semester.
  2. On or about the beginning of every semester, the Finance Board shall hold a special meeting called Regular Marathon for the allocation of funding for the present semester.
  3. The Finance Board shall, at its discretion, hold Short-Term Expense Planning (STEP) meetings.
    1. The Finance Board must reserve at least 10% of its funding for STEP meetings.

Section 3

There shall be established a grievance process for Finance Board allocation decisions.

  1. A decision of the Finance Board may be reopened for review and debate if:
    1. A majority of the Finance Board decides in favor of it.
    2. The Organization for whom the request was made requests it, and two members of the Finance Board agree to support the request.
  2. The Finance Board may, by a 2/3 vote, prevent any further review of a decision.

Section 4

The Union President may veto any decision of the Finance Board within 5 academic days of the decision. The Finance Board may, by a 2/3 vote, overturn any Presidential veto. The Finance Board vote must take place within 5 academic days of the veto.

Section 5

The Treasurer may, in consultation with the Chair of the Finance Board, empower members of the Finance Board to assist in the entry, collection, completion, and processing of financial requests and other forms.

Section 6

The Finance Board may, by a 2/3 vote of the all those members present and voting, purchase equipment for the use of all Union Organizations. Such purchases may not exceed 10% of the Finance Board's semester budget.

Article IV: Duties of Senators

Section 1

Senators shall serve as representatives of their constituencies to the Senate. The following shall be the duties of all Senators:

  1. Attend all meetings of the Senate and committees on which they are assigned.
    1. Except in extenuating circumstances, if a Senator must miss a Senate meeting, s/he must notify the President of the Union Senate in advance of the meeting.
  2. Each Senator shall perform one project per semester that is beneficial to the Brandeis Community.
  3. Meet twice monthly with a committee composed of their constituents.
  4. Meet monthly with their administrative liaisons, as appointed by the President of the Union Senate.

Section 2

The following shall be the duties of specific Senators:

  1. Quad Senators shall:
    1. Attend meetings of Residence Life staff of their respective quad at least twice a semester.
    2. Conduct dorm raps in their respective quads at least once a semester, and shall give a report at the next Senate meeting.
    3. Meet monthly with their Quad Director.
  2. The Senator for Off Campus Students shall prepare a table of information on off-campus living options at the housing lottery.
  3. The Senator for Racial Minority Students shall:
    1. Reach out to the ICC at least twice a month by attending an ICC general programming board meeting or meeting with the ICC Co-Chairs.
    2. Meet monthly with the Assistant Dean of Student Life for the Support of Diversity.
    3. Meet monthly with the Director of the ICC.
    4. Be an active member of the Senate Diversity Committee.
    5. The Senator for Racial Minority Students is encouraged to work on issues of racial minority students including but not limited to: Admissions, faculty of color, and Minority Alumni Network.
  4. Class Senators shall meet monthly with their Class Advisors.

Section 3

Each semester, the Senate shall elect an Executive Senator as a liaison between the Senate and the Executive Office. The objective of the Executive Senator shall be improving and maintaining communication between the Senate and the Executive Office, so they can work together efficiently and cohesively, for the benefit of the student body:

  1. The duties of the Executive Senator shall include:
    1. Arranging for occasions when the Senate and the Executive Office will meet, including an event at the beginning of each semester to set goals for the semester.
    2. Preparing the agenda for Senate meetings and posting it to the Union Website at least two days before the Senate meeting.
    3. To appoint a Clerk of the Senate, with duties as defined by the Executive Senator.
  2. The election procedure for the Executive Senator shall be as follows:
    1. At the penultimate meeting of each semester, those interested in the position shall announce their candidacy to the rest of the Senate.
    2. At the final meeting of the semester, the Senate shall enter into executive session to elect the Executive Senator.
    3. All voting shall be by secret ballot with the candidates not present at the time of voting.
    4. The voting procedures, be it simple majority, instant run off, or otherwise, shall be announced by the President of the Union Senate to the Senate in writing one academic day following nominations.

Section 4

The Senate shall have the power to, by majority vote, confirm all Union Presidential appointments. Appointments shall be confirmed in the following manner:

  1. At the beginning of the appointment process, the Union President shall inform the Senate what positions are available for appointment, a give a description of all positions.
  2. When all applications are received, the Union President shall notify all Senators that the selection process is beginning and request their input.
    1. Notification shall include making the applications of all candidates available for Senators to read.
  3. The Union President shall notify all Senators of the proposed appointments at least three academic days prior to the Senate meeting at which confirmation will take place.
  4. All Presidential Appointees must be present at the time of their Senate confirmation.

Article V: Senate Meeting Procedure

Section 1

The Parliamentary rules, as set out in the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order, shall govern the conduct of all official meetings of the Student Union Senate, except as may otherwise be provided for in the Union Constitution and these By-Laws.

Section 2

No individual may vote at a Senate meeting unless s/he has been certified by the Union Secretary as having been duly elected and sworn-in as a member of the Union Senate.

Section 3

Meetings of the Senate shall be held at least once every ten academic days during the period of the school year with regular classes in session. The President of the Union Senate shall schedule, announce, and call all meetings to order.

Section 4

All business and legislation of the Senate must be submitted to the Executive Senator at least four days prior to the Senate meeting.

  1. If the Senate determines that an emergency exists, it may, by a 2/3 vote suspend this rule and bring legislation to the floor.
  2. Except as stated elsewhere in these By-Laws, only the Union President and members of the Union Senate may submit legislation to the Senate.

Section 5

The Senate shall not act unless a quorum is present. A majority shall constitute a quorum.

Section 6

The Senate shall have the power to enter executive session by majority vote.

  1. Unless mentioned in these By-Laws, no business may be voted upon in executive session.
  2. The Senate may, by majority vote, move out of executive session.
  3. Executive session may be recorded but not broadcast.
  4. Unless mentioned in these By-Laws, the contents of executive session may not be discussed with people who were not present for discussion.

Section 7

The following shall be special rules of order:

  1. A roll call vote shall be taken upon the request of one senator.
  2. A straw poll vote shall be taken upon the request of one senator.
  3. By a two-thirds vote the Senate may compel the Union Vice President to hand down the chair to the Executive Senator.
  4. Members of the Senate shall be limited to three minutes per speech, at the discretion of the Chair, except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws.
  5. No Senator shall cast a vote by proxy.
  6. Should a Senator propose an amendment to a legislative item, if the sponsors by consensus deem it friendly without objections from other Senators, then the item shall be amended as such without the need of a Senatorial vote.

Section 8

The order of business of meetings of the Union Senate shall be:

  1. Call to Order
  2. Roll Call
  3. Approval of the Minutes
  4. Communications
    1. Administrative Communications
    2. Student Communications
    3. University Committee Reports
  5. Executive Officer Reports
    1. Presentation of the Budget
  6. Charters/Recognitions/Decharters
  7. Unfinished Business
  8. New business
  9. Senator Reports
  10. Open Forum

Article VI: Senate Committees

Section 1

Standing Senate Committees shall be established in these By-Laws. The following shall be the standing committees of the Senate:

  1. Services Committee
  2. Project Brandeis University Spirit (PBUS) Committee
  3. Social Justice Committee
  4. Diversity Committee
  5. Ways and Means Committee
  6. Club Support Committee

Section 2

  1. The President of the Union Senate shall, subject to confirmation by the majority of present and voting Senators, appoint all Senate and Non-Senate Chairs of standing committees.
  2. All Senate Chairs shall be appointed for a period of one semester
  3. All Senate Chairs may be re-appointed
  4. Senate Chairs for the Fall semester shall be appointed following inaugurations in the Spring and shall take office prior to summer recess
  5. Senate Chairs for the Spring semester shall be appointed in the Fall semester and take office after Finals conclude

Section 3

The rules and procedures of Senate Committees are as follows:

  1. The actions of Senate Committees must be in line with the general goals and aims of the Senate. It shall be the responsibility of the Senate Chair of the Committee to ensure that the Committee remains in line with the goals of the Senate.
  2. Meetings shall be held weekly and shall be called by the Senate Chair of the Committee and the Non-Senate Chair of the Committee.
  3. All decisions made by the Senate Committee Chairs - be it policy, finances, or otherwise - shall not be made without consultation of the Non-Senate Chair of the Committee and the Committee.
  4. The Senate Chair of the Committee has the ultimate authority on Committee finances but shall not act without first consulting the Non-Senate Chair of the Committee and the Committee.
  5. Each Committee shall be required to report to the Senate at the meeting immediately following the Committee Meeting. The report shall be submitted by the Senate Chair of the Committee. In the absence of the Senate Chair of the Committee, the Non-Senate Chair of the Committee shall submit the report. The absence of both Committee Chairs, the report shall be submitted by a member of the Committee.
  6. If the position of Senate Chair of the Committee becomes vacant, all authority delegated to the Senate Chair of the Committee shall fall to the Executive Senator or the President of the Union Senate.
  7. Committees shall have the right to use Union resources at the discretion of the Union Secretary.
  8. All campus communications prepared by Committees must be approved by the Executive Senator or the President of the Union Senate prior to distribution.
  9. In the event that the Senate Chair of the Committee or the Non-Senate Chair of the Committee fails to adhere to these rules and procedures and/or the duties prescribed to the Senate Committee Chairs in these By-Laws, the President of the Union Senate shall have the authority to remove him/her from the chair position.
  10. All Senate Committees must produce a report at least once a year detailing the work they have done as a committee and present it at the Senate meeting prior to Spring Inaugurations.
  11. All Senate Chairs must take attendance at committee meetings to ensure that Senators are fulfilling committee obligations.

Section 4

The Services Committee shall address any concerns or issues raised regarding the nature and availability of services provided by the Student Union Senate. These concerns and issues shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

  1. The Committee shall organize and run shuttle bus services to Logan Airport, New York City, and Long Island preceding Thanksgiving Break and Spring/Passover Recess.
  2. The Committee shall hold an all-you-can eat buffet at the onset of the finals period for both the fall and spring semesters.
  3. The Committee shall work to develop new services to address student needs.
  4. The Committee shall hold a second semester Activities Fair.
    1. The Fair shall be held within two weeks of the first day of classes of second semester.
    2. Secured Organizations and Union Accredited Organizations should be notified by the Committee in a timely manner during the first semester.

Section 5

The University Spirit Committee shall be composed of Senators and students who wish to pursue the fostering of school spirit at Brandeis University. The Committee shall work to enhance and encourage spirit on campus.

  1. The Committee shall further spirit by working with athletic teams, clubs, and other groups on social, academic or sporting programs and events.
  2. The Committee shall hold at least one pep rally per academic year.

Section 6

The Social Justice Committee shall be composed of Senators and other students who will work together to accomplish projects focusing on issues of Social Justice. The Committee will investigate, publicize, and act upon student concerns. It will work to represent students' convictions to each other, the administration, and the larger community. The Committee will work to ensure that the Brandeis community's internal operations as well as its interactions with the larger world reflect a communal social conscience.

  1. The Committee must compile and present to the Union Senate and student body at least one report per semester investigating an instance of social justice and or injustice on the Brandeis campus. The report should include a proposed plan of action if the findings warrant.
  2. The Committee shall present the report prepared under Article VI, Section 6(1), to the student body in a publicized public forum.

Section 7

The Diversity Committee shall coordinate events, promote institutional change, and work to encourage interaction and connections among the different groups that make up the student body. Through these efforts, the Committee will work to give underrepresented groups a voice on campus, and to help organize efforts improving co-existence, civil rights, and civil liberties at Brandeis.

  1. The Committee shall undertake at least one major project per semester.
  2. The Committee shall hold an event to address issues of diversity at least once a year.

Section 8

The Ways and Means Committee's purpose is to enhance the efficiency of the Senate and to streamline the legislative process. The Committee will strive to assist people bringing business before the Senate on how to adhere to the rules and guidelines set forth in the Union Constitution and these By-Laws. This committee shall act in accordance with the following:

  1. The Committee shall only be open to members of the Senate. There shall be no Non-Senate Chair.
  2. Only members of the Union Senate are permitted to attend Committee meetings. At the discretion of the Chair or the majority of present Committee members, those who are not Student Union Senators may attend.
  3. Prior to each meeting of the Senate, the Ways and Means Committee shall meet to review the agenda and business to come before the Senate.
  4. The Committee Chair is ultimately responsible for contacting those students and/or club leaders who submitted legislation so that any issues addressed at the committee meeting are resolved prior to the Senate meeting. The Chair may delegate responsibility as s/he deems appropriate.
  5. The Committee Chair shall compile a recommendation to the Senate no less than one day prior to each meeting, discussing the findings of the Committee.
  6. The Committee may advise persons bringing legislation and other business before the Senate on how to conform such business to the rules of the Senate.
  7. Neither the Committee nor its members may require that persons bringing business before the Senate make modifications to that business.
  8. The Chair retains the right to prevent legislation or other business from reaching the floor but must notify the Senate of the reasons. By a 2/3 vote, the Senate may bring said business to the floor.

Section 9

The Club Support Committee (hereinafter referred to as the "Committee") shall serve the clubs of the Brandeis campus by educating club leaders and their memberships on resources available and beneficial to clubs and organizations of the Brandeis Student Union. Additionally, the Committee shall serve as an outlet for club advocacy related issues between clubs and the Union Government and/or the Administration of Brandeis University. The Committee shall provide services related to, but not limited to, the following:

  1. Human, material, and financial resources of the Brandeis Student Union, the Brandeis University, and the greater Brandeis University community. It shall provide this service by proactively engaging with and directly meeting with Union Accredited Organizations.
  2. The Committee shall train its membership, who represent and do the work of the Committee under the direction of the committee chair.
  3. The Committee shall hold a regular forum for club leaders, in an effort to educate club leaders of the resources available to them.

Article VII: Counseling and Advisory Service Organizations

Section 1

Organizations listed in Article VII, Section 3 of these by-laws shall be known as Counseling and Advisory Service (CAS) Organizations, and shall receive the following privileges:

  1. They shall not be required to obtain signatures to be chartered by the Senate.
  2. They may be exclusive.
  3. They shall not be required to abide by the guidelines set forth in Article VIII of these By-Laws.

Section 2

In order for a group to become a CAS Organization, it must meet all of the following criteria:

  1. The organization must perform counseling and/or advisory service to the Brandeis Community, which by its very nature causes membership to be restrictive and unavoidably selective.
  2. Member training must be necessary to participate in the organization.
  3. Members cannot profit financially in any manner from organization activity.

Section 3

The following organizations are CAS Organizations, and are permitted to obtain Charter from the Senate:

  1. Student Sexuality Information Service
  2. Brandeis Counseling and Rape Crisis Hotline

Section 4

Should the Senate hold a vote concerning the eligibility of a CAS Organization, the Executive Senator must notify a member of the Executive Board of said organization at least four academic days before the vote.

Article VIII: Union Accredited Organizations

Section 1

The Senate shall, by a majority vote, have the power to charter/recognize (hereinafter referred to as "accredit") two types of Union Organizations:

  1. Chartered Organizations
  2. Recognized Organizations

Chartered and Recognized Organizations shall be collectively known as Union Accredited Organizations (UAO).

Section 2

In order to be accredited as a Chartered Organization, an organization must abide by the following criteria:

  1. Be open to all members of the Brandeis community.
  2. Not discriminate against members on the basis of sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, graduating class, age, nationality, or physical ability.
  3. Not charge its members fees or dues or frequently engage in cost prohibitive activities without an attempt to offset costs through fundraising or allocated monies.
  4. Not duplicate the purpose or goals of a currently Chartered Organization.
  5. Not be a fraternity or sorority.

Section 3

In order to be accredited as a Recognized Organization, an organization must abide by the following criterion:

  1. Not be a fraternity or a sorority.

Section 4

The Senate is not obligated to accredit an organization which satisfies the above criteria; senators may base their votes on their own assessment of the organization's merit and benefit to the Brandeis campus.

Section 5

Except as specified in Article VIII, Section 15, any organization that wishes to be accredited as a Chartered Organization must submit:

  1. A proposed constitution which includes:
    1. Name
    2. Purpose
    3. Officers - including their method of selection
    4. Membership criteria
    5. Meeting procedures
    6. Amendment procedures
    7. Statement of non-exclusivity
  2. At list of the names, signatures, class years, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of at least 15 Union members who wish to join the Organization and to commit active involvement after accreditation. The list shall contain the following heading:
    Member List -- I plan on becoming a member of _____________ (insert organization name here). Should it become a Union Organization, I intend to be an active participant in the events and projects of said organization.
  3. A list of the names, signatures, class years, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of at least 135 Union members who wish to show their support of the organization becoming a Chartered Organization on-campus. The list shall contain the following heading:
    Supporter List -- I support _____________ (insert organization name here) becoming a Chartered Organization. I understand that by becoming a Chartered Organization, ____________ will be given the use of Student Union copy machines, the ability to reserve rooms on Campus and the opportunity to go before the Finance Board for funding.
  4. One senator must provide a signature verifying that the proposed constitution and required signatures conform to these By-Laws.

The Senate may consider a proposed UAO that has failed to obtain the required number of signatures in the event that the very nature of the organization precludes it from obtaining the required number of signatures. In order to consider such an organization, the proposed organization must submit a letter explaining how the nature of the organization precludes it from obtaining the required number of signatures. At the discretion of the Executive Senator, such an organization may be added to the agenda for accreditation consideration.

Section 6

An organization that wishes to be accredited as a Recognized Organization must abide by the guidelines set forth under Article VIII, Section 5 of these By-Laws with that exception that 10 member signatures and no supporter signatures are required.

Section 7

For consideration at a Senate meeting, the proposed constitution and required signatures must be submitted to the Executive Senator in the Union Office, and the constitution must be e-mailed to Executive Senator and Ways and Means Committee Chair at least three academic days before the next Senate meeting.

  1. At least three of the signatories on the member list must attend the Senate meeting during the accrediting of the organization.
    1. In the event that only two of the signatories on the member list are present, the Senate may, by a 2/3 vote, suspend this rule and allow the proposed UAO to come before the Senate.
  2. Constitutions shall be voted upon as presented or as amended by the representatives of the proposed UAO.

Section 8

UAOs are responsible for the following:

  1. Including on their myBrandeis Club Space the following information:
    1. A description of the Organization.
    2. Up-to-date contact information for the Organization.
    3. An up-to-date copy of the Organization's Constitution in the designated file space. Any changes to the Constitution must be uploaded within 5 academic days of the change.
    4. Where applicable, a link to the Organization's listserv.
  2. Where applicable, the Organization's listserv must be publicly visible.
  3. Submitting a copy of the Organization's Constitution to the Union Secretary upon request.
  4. Checking their allocated club mailboxes at least once every 5 academic days.
  5. Submitting the required Massachusetts Hazing Form once a year.
  6. Complying with yearly renewal requirements, as is prescribed by the Student Union Secretary.
  7. Complying with the Student Union Advertising Policy, as is prescribed by the Student Union Secretary.

Section 9

The privileges of UAOs shall include:

  1. The privilege to use the University name and seal.
  2. The privilege to use University facilities.
  3. The privilege to use Union resources.
  4. Chartered Organizations may request funding from the Union Finance Board.

Section 10

No UAO may spend Union Activity Fee monies on a non-Union member in lieu of a member of the Undergraduate Student Union.

Section 11

All officers of a UAO must be undergraduate or Transitional Year Program students attending Brandeis University.

Section 12

Any changes to the name and/or purpose of a UAO must be approved by a majority vote of the Senate, with 3 members of the Organization present at the Senate meeting where the change is presented.

Section 13

The Senate has the power to decharter/derecognize or restrict rights and privileges of any UAO which does any of the following:

  1. Violates any of the criteria set forth in Article VIII, Section 2 or 3 of these By-Laws.
  2. Fails to fulfill its responsibilities as set forth in Article VIII, Section 8 of these By-Laws.
  3. Violates any of the rules of these By-Laws, the Union Constitution, the University, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or the Federal Government.
  4. Digresses from the purpose stated in its adopted constitution, or alters its purpose without majority approval of the Student Union Senate.
  5. Does not comply with sanctions placed on it by the Union Judiciary.
  6. Is formally recommended for decharter by the Finance Board.
    1. It is the responsibility of the Finance Board chairperson and/or the Treasurer to bring it to the attention of the Senate that such a vote has occurred.
    2. The Senate vote is to take place at the meeting immediately following the Finance Board vote, as long as the UAO receives two academic days notice.
  7. Pays a member for performing the specific activity germane to a reasonable interpretation of the organization's purpose.
  8. Does not send a representative to a mandatory meeting of club leaders, hereinafter referred to as Club Leaders Meeting (CLM).
    1. The Student Union President shall have the authority to call a CLM up to once per academic semester by giving club leaders 10 academic days of notice.

Section 14

The motion to decharter/derecognize must be passed by a two-thirds vote of all those Senators present and voting.

  1. Any Senator may request that an Organization be placed on the agenda for dechartering/decrecognizing. The request must be given, in writing, to the Executive Senator at least 3 academic days prior to the meeting.
  2. The organization in question must be notified by the Executive Senator that it is being considered for decharter/derecognize at least two academic days before the meeting.

Section 15

After being recognized by the Senate, a Recognized Organization may:

  1. Prior to 13 academic weeks, the Organization must obtain signatures in the manner set forth under Article VIII, Section 5, of these By-Laws.
  2. After 13 academic weeks, expedite the accreditation process and appear before the Senate to be accredited a Chartered Organization, if it resubmits its constitution and with the names, signatures, class years, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of at least 10 Union members wishing to join the organization and to commit to active involvement after accreditation and the 25 signatures from Union members who wish to show their support of the organization becoming a Chartered Organization on campus. Both of these lists must be submitted on forms provided in the Student Union Office.
  3. In considering such an organization, the Senate must consider whether the Recognized Organization has had an active presence on campus. Such presence shall be judged on criteria including, but not restricted to: number of meetings held, number of events held, and creation of a product that furthers the organization's purpose to the Brandeis campus.

Section 16

The Senate may, by a two-thirds vote, change the status of an existing UAO from "Chartered" to "Recognized."

Article IX: Financial Activities

Section 1

Funding requests to the Senate must meet certain conditions:

  1. The request for funding must be submitted at the Senate meeting prior to the meeting at which the vote shall be taken.
    1. If the Senate determines that an emergency exists, it may by a 2/3 vote, suspend this rule, and allow the funding request to be voted on at the first meeting.
  2. Voting on the funding will require a simple majority to pass.
  3. The Senate is allowed to change the dollar value of the request, and this will not require any additional meetings to vote on the entire measure.
  4. A reimbursement or preauthorization check relating to an event must be requested no later than the date submitted on the Senate Money Resolution. If funds are not requested within two weeks of the event the Senate Money Resolution becomes null and void, and the Senate shall have no obligation to pass a similar money resolution.
  5. For money resolutions not relating to an event, a timeline must be presented with the request. If two weeks pass after the money should have been requested, as dictated by the timeline, the Senate Money Resolution shall become null and void, and the Senate shall have no obligation to pass any similar money resolution. Prior to submission, all Senate Money Resolutions must be accompanies by proof of cost for the items to be purchased or services to be obtained. This rule can be overridden by a majority vote of present members.
  6. Prior to the disbursement of any funds resulting from a Senate Money resolution, the Treasurer must be provided with proof of cost for the items purchased or services obtained.
  7. If the actual cost of any item or service obtained with funds from the Senate Money Resolution differs significantly from projected cost, the Treasurer shall make a report of the discrepancy to the Senate at the next regular meeting.
  8. Only Union Officers, University Committees, and Senate Committees are permitted to submit Senate Money Resolutions.
  9. All Senate Money Resolutions must be used for Student Union Government projects and/or operations.

Section 2

All money left in the Senate discretionary budget at the end of each and every fiscal semester shall be reallocated to the following fiscal semester's Senate discretionary. When these funds are discovered and appropriately calculated, the Union Treasurer must submit an outline of said values to the Union Senate to be approved and officially transferred. The Senate must make every attempt to allocate unspent money and/or spend all money in their budget and reserves the right to reallocate to subsequent budgets only as a last resort.

Section 3

The Union Treasurer shall set a date at the penultimate Senate meeting of each semester by which all allocated funds from the Senate Discretionary must be requested from the Treasurer by its recipients. Unless a deadline is set by the Senate on the specific Senate Money Resolution, all Senate Discretionary allocations remaining unclaimed by the recipients after this date shall be considered unspent for the semester.

Article X: Union Elections Procedures

Section 1

At least ten academic days prior to the start of balloting, the Chief of Elections shall communicate to the Union the timeline for elections and shall promulgate the rules and procedures for that election period.

Section 2

Candidates for office must attend a mandatory candidates meeting and indicate their intent to run for office in accordance with the rules set by the Chief of Elections.

  1. Candidates who cannot attend the mandatory candidates meeting may make alternative arrangements at the discretion of the Chief of Elections.
  2. Candidacies are not valid until accepted by the Chief of Elections.

Section 3

Candidates shall be allowed to campaign for at least five academic days prior to the start of balloting.

Section 4

Candidates must abide by the following "fair elections" rules:

  1. No money may be spent on a campaign by a candidate or his/her supporters.
  2. No libelous or slanderous statements may be made by a candidate or his/her supporters.

Section 5

Failure to observe the provisions of this article or any other provision of the Student Union Constitution and these By-Laws may result in forfeiture of candidacy at the discretion of the Chief of Elections.

Section 6

Should a candidate be disqualified during balloting, the election shall be voided and a new election for that position shall be held. Should a candidate be disqualified after balloting has been completed, a new election for that position shall be held if the disqualification affects the outcome of the ballot.

Section 7

The Chief of Elections and all Elections Commissioners shall not:

  1. Release any information pertaining to ongoing elections results, including vot etallies, to parties not involved in overseeing the Election.
  2. Provide any advantages to one candidate over another candidate.

Article XI: Senior Programs

Section 1

The Senior Programs Fee shall be allocated in the following manner:

  1. Senior Week: 56.25%
  2. Junior/Senior Formal: 43.75%
  3. Any surplus in the Senior Programs accounts shall be carried over to the following year's Senior Programs.

Section 2

The Student Union shall provide assistance to the JR/SR Formal in the following manner:

  1. A line item shall be placed in the Student Union Spring Budget after discussions between the Student Union Treasurer and the JR/SR Formal Coordinators and Advisor.
  2. A Student Union official shall be selected by the Student Union and the JR/SR Formal team to participate in the interviewing process for a JR Coordinator in the fall semester.

Section 3

The Student Union shall provide assistance to Senior Week in the following manner:

  1. A line item shall be placed in the Student Union Spring Budget by the Treasurer of the Student Union.

Article XII: Special Union Programs

Section 1

The David Alexander '79 Memorial Award for Social Consciousness and Activism in the Brandeis community was established in 1980 by the Senate in honor of former Senate Secretary, Parliamentarian, and social activist David Alexander who died in a tragic auto accident in January 1980.

  1. The Senate shall announce to the community by the first week in March that it is accepting nominations for this award.
  2. Nominations may be made to the Dean of Student Life until the deadline set by the Union Executive Office.
    1. Any member of the Brandeis Student Union may make a nomination.
    2. Nominations must be typed and state the name of the nominee, the name of the nominator, and explanation of the qualifications of the nominee.
    3. If a member of the Union Executive Office is a nominee, s/he may not participate in the voting process.
  3. After receiving all nominations the Union Executive Office shall meet to determine by majority vote the recipient of the award.
  4. All nominees must be graduating seniors who meet the following criteria:
    1. The award is based on a student's actions on any social problem or set of societal problems, be they environmental, political, social, cultural, etc. These actions must have had a significant impact on the Brandeis community.
    2. The services rendered by the student during his/her time at Brandeis ought to have been services provided directly to the Brandeis community. This award is not for social consciousness and activism outside the university.

Section 2

The Senate shall each year, through the appointment of an editor, produce and publish a Course Evaluation Guide (CEG).The editor may share his/her stipend with as many assistants as s/he feels are necessary.

  1. The Union President shall, in consultation with the most recent CEG editor, select the editor.
  2. The appointment must be confirmed by a majority vote of the Senate.
  3. The selection process shall consist of applications and interviews.
    1. The Union President shall make applications available by the second week in February.
  4. The duties of the CEG editor shall be:
    1. To compile summaries of the comments of the course evaluations.
    2. To compile numerical statistics with the assistance of the office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences.
    3. To arrange for all facets of publication of the CEG.
  5. The CEG editor(s) shall be granted a total stipend of $1,750 and shall increase every year by a rate equal to the percentage change in tuition (C.O.L.A.). Forty percent of the total stipend shall be paid during the last week of the spring semester. The rest shall be paid upon the publication of the CEG.
  6. The CEG must be readily available to all undergraduates by the Friday before the new students arrive for the fall semester.
    1. Each working day that the CEG is not available to students past this deadline, $100 will be deducted from the editor's total salary, at the discretion of the Union President.

Section 3

The Senate shall each year, through the appointment of an editor, produce and publish a New Student Facebook and Guide. The editor may share his/her stipend with as many assistants as s/he feels are necessary.

  1. The Union President, in consultation with the Executive Office, shall select the editor.
  2. The appointment must be confirmed by a majority vote of the Senate.
  3. The selection process shall consist of applications and interviews.
    1. The Union President shall make applications available by the second week in February.
  4. The New Student Facebook and Guide shall include, but shall not be limited to, photos of new students who wish to participate, information on the clubs and organizations of the Student Union, a directory of all Student Union officers for the upcoming year, and a description of the services provided by the Union. At the discretion of the editor, other items may be included.
  5. The duties of the New Student Facebook and Guide editor shall be:
    1. To solicit and collect photographs from new students to be included in the guide.
    2. To solicit and collect information on Student Union clubs and organizations to be included in the guide.
    3. To arrange for all facets of publication of the guide.
    4. To arrange for the distribution of the guide, in cooperation with the Orientation Core Committee.
    5. To perform any additional tasks, as assigned by the Union President, necessary in order to produce the guide.
  6. The New Student Facebook and Guide editor(s) shall be granted a total stipend of $2,000 and shall increase every year by a rate equal to the percentage change in tuition (C.O.L.A.). Forty percent of the total stipend shall be paid during the last week of the spring semester. The rest shall be paid upon the publication of the guide.
  7. The New Student Facebook and Guide must be readily available to all incoming students by the Monday before Opening Sunday each fall.
    1. Each working day that the guide is not available to students past this deadline, $100 will be deducted from the editor's total salary, at the discretion of the Union President.

Section 4

The Brandeis Student Union Teaching Award was established in the spring of 2001 to honor an exceptional professor at Brandeis, and take in to account the opinions of the students as expressed in the Course Evaluation Guide.

  1. The three professors who receive the highest Instructor Ratings from the Course Evaluation Guide in each School shall be placed on a ballot and presented to the student body.
    1. The Schools shall be:
      1. School of Science
      2. School of Creative Arts
      3. School of Humanities
      4. School of Social Science
    2. Any three professors who belong to a program but do not have appointments, technically, within a School may be placed on the ballot by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
    3. In the event that there is a tie within a school or program in the Instructor Ratings of the Course Evaluation Guide, all professors who are in contention for being top three shall be placed on the ballot.
      4. The ballot shall take place on or before the official last day of classes.
  2. The professor who receives the highest number of votes shall be declared the winner of the Brandeis Student Union Teaching Award and shall receive a five hundred dollar prize and an engraved plaque from the Student Union Government.
    1. In the event of a tie, a run-off election between the tying candidates shall be held.
    2. It shall be the responsibility of the Union Secretary to acquire and engrave the plaque.
    3. The plaque shall include at least the professor's name and position, the name of the award (Brandeis Student Union Teaching Award), and the year.
  3. In addition, the winning professor's name and position shall be engraved on a plaque within the Student Union Government office.
    1. It shall be the responsibility of the Union Secretary to acquire and engrave the plaque.
  4. No professor may win the Student Union Teaching Award more than once in a four year period.

Section 5

The Brandeis Student Union Teaching Fellow Award was established in the spring of 2006 to honor an exceptional Teaching Fellow from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

  1. The Executive Office shall announce to the community in the Spring Semester that it is accepting nominations for the award.
  2. After the close of the application period, a committee composed of all Representatives to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, two members of the Student Union Executive Office, and two Senators shall select the winner.
  3. The winner shall receive a two-hundred dollar honorarium and a certificate from the Student Union Government.

Section 6

There shall exist the Student Union Office for Student (OSCA). The OSCA shall serve the student body by providing advisory services for students involved in, and as a student oversight body for, the University's conduct and education system and academic policy disputes.

  1. The OSCA shall provide services including, but not limited to, the following: individual student advisory services, policy initiatives, administrative oversight, and general student body education.
  2. The OSCA shall be run by the Director, who shall be nominated to the Senate annually by the members of the Office, and confirmed by a majority vote of the Senate.
  3. The Director shall report to the Senate no less than once a month on the activities of the OSCA. The Senate can mandate the Director to report at a particular Senate meeting by a majority vote.
  4. The OSCA shall establish a structure and set of guidelines to instruct the Director on the selection of a staff, their responsibilities, and office practices.
  5. The OSCA shall produce an annual and public report on the activities of the office and a review of University policies and practices in the fields of student conduct and academic policies. This report shall be made available to the student body prior to the last academic day of each academic year.
  6. The Union President, at his/her discretion, may appoint the Director of the OSCA to the Union Executive Office. As a member of the Executive Office the Director of the OSCA may be assigned additional responsibilities by the President. A majority vote of the Senate is needed for the Director to be confirmed to the Union Executive Office. The Director of the OSCA may be removed from the Executive Office, by the Senate, through the mandated removal procedures.
  7. The Director of the OSCA may be impeached from his/her position on the OSCA through the impeachment procedures detailed in the Constitution. The Director may not be removed in any way except impeachment by the Union, or removal initiated internally by the OSCA, following office guidelines.

Section 7

In 1980, Peter S. Falk, a student at Brandeis, was struck down by cancer in the prime of his life. The class of 1980 established the Peter S. Falk Olympics so as to memorialize him and raise money for the American Cancer Society. In 1998 the Student Union Senate changed this memorial to the Peter S. Falk Memorial Fund. The Fund works as follows:

  1. The Executive Office will receive $300 at the beginning of each Fall semester from the Union Government Budget to allocate by the end of that semester towards:
    1. Fundraisers sponsored by a Union Organization, where all of the monetary profit will go towards a non-profit organization centered on cancer research and/or awareness.
    2. A cancer awareness event or program, run by a Union Organization which educates students on an issue or issues involving cancer.
  2. The Student Union Treasurer will be responsible for notifying Union Organizations that are planning such events.

Article XIII: Amendments

Section 1

Amendments to these By-Laws may be made by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.

Section 2

Amendments to these By-Laws shall identify all relevant existing wording of these By-Laws, and clearly state the proposed new wording.

Section 3

Amendments shall be presented to the Senate in writing and read at the meeting prior to the voting.

Section 4

Upon the passage of any amendment to these By-Laws, the Student Union Secretary shall make, without the need for further approval, any and all non-substantive changes to these By-Laws as are necessary to integrate the amendment properly. All such changes must be reported to the Senate upon implementation.
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